Keep calm and carry on

This is a sign (available for purchase) from one of the stores in Lyttelton. No doubt carefully placed to appeal to people with my sense of humour! I may nip back to Lyttelton tomorrow and buy it. Great advice for any occasion, but especially pertinent for Cantabrians.

This morning there was a big aftershock 5.1 – and it was centered about 1 kilometre away from my home (and 6km down in the ground). It was ‘interesting’ to say the least. I haven’t felt scared so to speak more anxious really. And I find all the small aftershocks tedious and annoying. I also seem to be getting accustomed to them as I’m no longer flinching when we get the jolt or when I hear the roar. Sometimes we just get the jolt, sometimes the distant roar precedes the jolt. The power went out for half an hour after the 5.1 (just before 8am this morning). My partner had left for work in the city (3rd floor building) and made a beeline for the space under his desk! He got sent home much to my relief, as the building engineers needed to check the building. We’re lucky, we have an undamaged house, running water, power, and the surrounding area is mostly fine. My heart goes out to those who have lost their homes, their businesses, and their livelihoods. It feels so surreal – like I’m watching a news reel about some distant city in a foreign country. But those are my streets, and I know those buildings, and those are familiar faces reporting the news. It’s going to be hard to drive down those streets and find empty lots. No doubt whatever buildings go up as replacements won’t be to everyone’s liking, but here’s hoping that common sense prevails and a lot of thought and consultation happens before the ink dries on any reconstruction plans.

It all sounds a bit unnerving to me! I’m interested in the “freedom” sign in the window. It certainly has been controversial in our country regarding the building of the mosque near Ground Zero in NYCity.